Seattle Seahawks 28
New England Patriots 24
Andrew Cowan
The most spectacular show on Earth, ed The Super Bowl (Super Bowl XLIX) took place in the University of Phoenix stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Watched by an estimated audience of well over two hundred million people worldwide, the Super Bowl is the largest annual event of any sports based on audience number alone. Super Bowl forty-nine saw 2014’s winners the Seattle Seahawks (Seahawks) attempt to defend the Vince Lombardi trophy against the New England Patriots (Patriots).
There was a massive amount of build up to the big game during the week ranging from the ‘Deflate-Gate’ scandal to Marshawn Lynch of the Seahawks refusing to answer any reporters question instead only saying he was only attending his media obligations so he wouldn’t get fined.
Idina Menzel got proceedings underway with a rendition of the star spangled banner. The first quarter started off scoreless with the best opportunity coming for the Patriots, with two minutes remaining only the Seahawks Jeremy Lane prevented a touchdown from Tom Brady’s pass. The resulting tackle on Lane resulted in him missing the remainder of the game and opened up a crack in the Seahawks defense.
The scoring finally got underway in the second quarter. Tom Brady exposed the gap left by Jeremy Lane’s injury as he picked out Brandon LaFell in the end zone.. Marshawn Lynch leveled the game for the Seahawks following up on one of the most incredible catches of the game from Chris Matthews making it 7-7. Rob Gronkowski made it 14-7 to the Patriots with ninety seconds left in the quarter. The Seahawks rallied and closed out the quarter with a Chris Matthews touchdown. Both teams went into the dressing rooms with 14 points apiece.
The time had come for the half time show, the hotly anticipated performance featured headline acts Katy Perry, Lenny Kravitz and appearances from hip hop starlet Missy Elliot. Not to mention the rather confused looking dancing shark who captured the hearts of many.
The third quarter began with a new lease of life from the Seahawks, Katy Perry has that effect, a 27 yard field goal from Hauscha with eleven minutes of the third quarter remaining put Seattle in front for the first time. This was followed up by a Doug Baldwin touchdown. It almost looked like the Patriots forgot he was even in the end zone as he scored his TD completely unchallenged. 24-14 to the Seahawks going into the forth and final quarter.
The Patriots weren’t out yet. With eight minutes remaining, Brady found Danny Amendola in the end zone for a touchdown and to make the game 24-21 to the Seahawks. The Patriots were now within a field goal of making the game level but Tom Brady had other plans. Brady again exposed the gap left by Jeremy Lanes injury and found Julian Eldman to make it 28-24 to the Patriots with only two minutes remaining. The Seahawks came back and with twenty seconds left had an opportunity for touchdown. In what is being labeled as one of the worst plays in living memory, Russell Wilson was intercepted by Patriots rookie Malcolm Butler resulting in a victory for the New England Patriots. It finished 28-24 to the New England Patriots.
